Small committees of management

Templates

Declaration of Private Interests (DOPI)

Board members of major agencies (not small committees of management) must complete an annual declaration of private interests.

This is a standard form for use by board members of all DELWP major agencies.

Use this simplified form annually and when your interests change

If your agency’s establishing Act requires you to submit a ‘primary return’ upon appointment and an ‘ordinary return’ annually thereafter (e.g. water corporations and catchment management authorities), attach your primary/ordinary return to this DOPI form at those times.

Governance links

Related support modules

Victorian Public Sector Commission (VPSC)

As part of its role in promoting good governance in the public sector, the VPSC publishes the Directors’ Code of Conduct, which applies to board members. It also provides guidance on this topic. See the practical guide. But use the relevant DELWP model policy, not the generic VPSC model policy (see above).

For example, some reports published by the Ombudsman and VAGO investigate whether conflicts of interest have been properly declared by board members and properly managed by boards in the public interest. Other agencies may find these reports useful reading.

Board members must complete an annual Declaration of private interests and should update this form sooner if their circumstances change in the meantime. Interests which may give rise to a conflict of interest are then recorded in the Register of Interests.

For further information see the template DOPI (above) and the ‘overview’ guidance note (see above).

At the start of each board meeting, a board member must declare any interest that relates to any item on the agenda, regardless of whether the interest has already been recorded in the Register of Interests.

All conflicts of interest must be managed by the board in the public interest. The standard procedure for a ‘material’ (serious) conflict is for the board member to leave the room and abstain from any discussion or decision-making on the issue. The minutes of the board meeting must record the conflict and the action taken to manage it.